LAHORE: England’s tour to Pakistan next month for a three-match Test series is set to be held as per schedule, sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board told Dawn on Thursday.

England played seven Twenty20 Internationals against the hosts in Lahore and Karachi in September-October this year in what was a successful tour in terms of boosting Pakistan’s image as a safe and secure venue for full-fledge international cricket.

An assassination attempt on the country’s former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad last week during the his party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s long march had casted doubts over England’s visit for the Test matches.

Though the attack forced PTI to suspend the protest, it resumed on Thursday as unrest in Islamabad and Rawalpindi — the venue for the first Test — continued.

According to sources, the PCB and the England and Wales Cricket Board are in constant contact, with the latter being kept up to date about the latest developments in Pakistan.

The Rawalpindi Test is scheduled to be held from Dec. 1. The second and third Tests will be held in Multan and Karachi, starting from Dec. 9 and Dec. 17 respectively.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2022